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J. W. Powell - Canyons of the Colorado
she was wrecked. As our boats are rather heavily loaded, I am content that he should leave, although he
has been a faithful man.
We start early on our return to the boats, taking horses with us from the reservation, and two Indians,
who are to bring the animals back.
Whirlpool Canyon is 14 1/4 miles in length, the walls varying from 1,800 to 2,400 feet in height. The
course of the river through Island Park is 9 miles. Split Mountain Canyon is 8 miles long. The highest
crags on its walls reach an altitude above the river of from 2,500 to 2,700 feet. In these canyons cedars
only are found on the walls.
The distance by river from the foot of Split Mountain Canyon to the mouth of the Uinta is 67 miles. The
valley through which it runs is the home of many antelope, and we have adopted for it the Indian name
Won'sits Yuav - Antelope Valley.
CHAPTER IX. FROM THE MOUTH OF THE UINTA RIVER TO
THE JUNCTION OF THE GRAND AND GREEN.
July 6. - An early start this morning. A short distance below the mouth of the Uinta we come to
the head of a long island. Last winter a man named Johnson, a hunter and Indian trader, visited us at our
camp in White River Valley. This man has an Indian wife, and, having no fixed home, usually travels
with one of the Ute bands. He informed me that it was his intention to plant some corn, potatoes, and
other vegetables on this island in the spring, and, knowing that we would pass it, invited us to stop and
help ourselves, even if he should not be there; so we land and go out on the island. Looking about, we
soon discover his garden, but it is in a sad condition, having received no care since it was planted. It is
yet too early in the season for corn, but Hall suggests that potato tops are good greens, and, anxious for
some change from our salt-meat fare, we gather a quantity and take them aboard. At noon we stop and
cook our greens for dinner; but soon one after another of the party is taken sick; nausea first, and then
severe vomiting, and we tumble around under the trees, groaning with pain. I feel a little alarmed, lest
our poisoning be severe. Emetics are administered to those who are willing to take them, and about the
middle of the afternoon we are all rid of the pain. Jack Sumner records in his diary that "potato tops are
not good greens on the 6th day of July."
This evening we enter another canyon, almost imperceptibly, as the walls rise very gently.
July 7. - We find quiet water to-day, the river sweeping in great and beautiful curves, the canyon
walls steadily increasing in altitude. The escarpments formed by the cut edges of the rock are often
vertical, sometimes terraced, and in some places the treads of the terraces are sloping. In these quiet
curves vast amphitheaters are formed, now in vertical rocks, now in steps.
The salient point of rock within the curve is usually broken down in a steep slope, and we stop
occasionally to climb up at such a place, where on looking down we can see the river sweeping the foot
of the opposite cliff in a great, easy curve, with a perpendicular or terraced wall rising from the water's
edge many hundreds of feet. One of these we find very symmetrical and name it Sumner's Amphitheater.
The cliffs are rarely broken by the entrance of side canyons, and we sweep around curve after curve with
almost continuous walls for several miles.
Late in the afternoon we find the river very much rougher and come upon rapids, not dangerous, but still
demanding close attention. We camp at night on the right bank, having made 26 miles. July 8. -
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